Mary Harney
Question:42 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Education when the sports hall, promised a number of years ago, to Palmerstown Community School, Pobalscoil Iosolde, will be provided. [3711/96]
Written Answers. - School Sports Hall.
I intend to provide physical education facilities on a phased basis to schools where these do not already exist. However, the timing of the provision of PE halls must have regard to available finance.
As part of the 1995 post-primary programme, funding was made available for the architectural planning of ten physical education halls at schools where these were not already available. The ten schools in question were identified as having the most pressing needs.
The question of providing a PE hall at Palmerstown Community School can only be considered in the context of capital available for post-primary building purposes generally. Because of the huge demands on the capital resources available, priority has been given for some time to the provision of essential teaching spaces. Before additional PE halls can be included in the capital programme, the backlog of ten already planned in 1995 or under planning will have to be cleared.
Provision of PE facilities where these are not being planned at present will resume as soon as pressure on available resources for classroom accommodation has eased.